Under the Same Sky [BOYXBOY] - CHAPTER 55

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A/N: Here’s a picrew of Samuel’s mother that a lovely reader was so kind to make. I swear one day I will actually post all the fanarts  but for now enjoy the story…. 😉 P.S: Please read author’s note at the bottom for important updates!!!

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The students of Lumière were surprised when in the middle of the following day, reporters swarmed the campus in hives as swathes of both plain-clothes and uniformed police officers descended on the school.

Professor Vogt looked up in surprise as men barged into his half-asleep classroom and dragged Charles from his desk without any explanation. A wave of shock and unrepressed excitement rippled through the school as detectives took statements from both staff and students alike in the background of flashing lights and wailing sirens.

Whispers blazed through the campus as no one, not even the most restrained teacher could hold themselves back from joining the theories and rumours that swirled around. There was a brief hush as Charles was cuffed and shoved into a police van and as the flashing lights faded into the distance, the silence was broken and the whispers returned in greater force.

Jayden watched the entire scene play out below him with an unreadable expression on his face as Samuel fidgeted nervously by his side. As the sirens wailed away, no one paid any mind to Noel as he quietly slipped away.

It didn’t take long however, for the full story of what happened to leak to the press and as soon as it did, it was plastered on the front page of every major newspaper in the country. Such a scandal involving a major family of the Noble 52 hadn’t been seen in years and the gossip mongers lapped it up with gleeful pleasure.

The rumour mills went into overdrive, churning several versions of the story and the papers milked it for every drop they could get. As the days progressed, it became common to see reporters at every corner of the school, trying to snare any student they could for an interview.

Of course, the one they wanted to interview the most was Noel but as Jayden was virtually always by his side with an air of barely restrained malevolence, none of them dared. They contented themselves with drawing out opinions from students who were more than happy to see themselves on the news.

Jayden, however, got sick of this too and at his insistence, the headmistress had every reporter thrown out of school grounds.

The situation got much worse when the case was first brought into court. As expected, Charles’s family brought all their power and resources to bear in order to get the case thrown out of court but Jayden prevailed on his mother and in turn, the Mills brought their more significant power and resources to act as a counterweight and the case went to trial.

After weeks of torturous court battles, motions, and countermotions, the case came to a head when Noel finally mounted the witness stand and as he testified, there wasn’t a single dry eye in the courtroom.

The climax came when the jury, due to the overwhelming evidence against him, found Charles guilty of aggravated sexual assault. Charlesetta broke down when the sentence was read out by the judge and her son was led out of the courtroom in chains. Charles father remained stoic-faced throughout the entire proceedings and after hearing his son’s sentence, simply stood and walked out of the courtroom.

It was a heart-breaking experience for many and everyone was grateful when the entire sordid affair was brought to a close. The students in particular were more grateful when the summer vacation rolled around soon after. For some, it provided a moment to sit back and reassess, and for others, it was a chance to simply breathe.

The start of the summer vacation saw the friends separated. After everything that happened, Noel had grown more silent and withdrawn and after school let out, he just disappeared without a word to any of them.

Jayden almost lost his mind fretting with worry until Samuel gently but firmly told him that he needed to give Noel space to figure things out on his own.

Cam and Leo were on vacation with their family and Paul was tied up with matters of state as his father deemed it time for him to have a more hands-on experience with ruling.

That left Samuel and Jayden standing on the platform of the train station alone a week after school was over. Henry, the Mills family’s chauffeur was packing his bags into the train as Jayden got ready to depart.

Samuel was pouting as he glanced at his boyfriend. ‘Do you have to leave?’

‘Yes, but don’t worry it’s just for two months.’

‘But two months is a very long time,’ Samuel complained. ‘It’s our whole summer.’

Jayden smiled softly and rubbed his boyfriend’s head. ‘I know but I have to. I need to remain on Mother’s good side if I want her to keep our secret.’

Samuel looked like he was about to cry so Jayden wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close for a hug not caring how it would look in public.

‘I wish I didn’t have to go but I need to.’

‘We haven’t spent that much time apart before,’ Samuel muttered.

Jayden patted his head. ‘We’ll be alright, I promise.’

Samuel pulled away. ‘How about I just come with you?’

Jayden shook his head fondly. ‘You can’t. You promised your mum you would help her at her job. Those kids need you.’

‘What about me? I need you.’

Jayden smiled and took off the rainbow-coloured bracelets on his wrist. ‘You remember when you gave them to me? You told me that whenever I felt down, I should look at it and let them remind me that it’s okay to be who I am.’

He took Samuel’s arm and tied the bracelets onto his wrist. ‘Well, whenever you miss me, you can look at it and you’d know that wherever I am, whatever I’m doing, I would be thinking about you too and it’d be like I had never left.’

‘It won’t be the same,’ Samuel mumbled.

The whistle sounded and the platform began to grow empty as the final passengers boarded the train.

Jayden took his backpack from Samuel and hugged him one last time. ‘I’ll be back before you know it, I promise.’

He pulled away and waved before climbing onto the train. A few people waved from the platform as the train pulled away from the station. Samuel watched as it disappeared into the distance. He glanced down at the brightly coloured bracelets on his wrist before walking out of the station.

Henry held the door open for him as he entered the car and sat back with a sigh. The car door closed behind him and the front door opened as Henry slid into the driver’s seat. He started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot just as Samuel’s phone pinged with an incoming message.

Jayden: See you soon x.

He smiled softly at the picture before closing his eyes and letting out a tired sigh.

It took them less than an hour to get him home and he waved goodbye to Henry before making his way inside. He ignored his brothers’ loud argument as he passed the dining room and managed to make it into his room without speaking to anyone.

He fell into his bed and glanced at his phone but there were no new messages from Jayden. He turned to face the ceiling and before long he was drifting away into a deep sleep.

He woke up  the next day as the sunlight began to stream into his windows and he took a quick shower before bounding down the stairs.

His mother was seated at the dining hall and the maid was just setting the table when he arrived. Sandra looked up and smiled as he took a seat beside her.

‘Looking forward to working with mum today?’

Samuel nodded as the maid placed a plate of pancakes before him. He grabbed the syrup and squirted it more than a little generously over his food before picking up a fork.

‘Mum,’ he said between mouthfuls. ‘Can I work in the children’s ward instead of the labs?’

Sandra didn’t answer. She was busy rummaging through her thick head of curly hair with a look of utmost concentration on her face.

‘Aha!’ she beamed, pulling out her hand to reveal a small white mouse. ‘So, that’s where you’ve been hiding Fernando you naughty mouse. Your siblings have been worried… what did you say dear?’

‘I want to-‘

‘You’ve not happen to seen your brother, have you Nando?’ Sandra interrupted, looking questioningly at the rodent running around her palm.

There was a rustle from her hair and a small green snake poked its head out. It slithered out and glided along to curl itself comfortingly around her neck, studying the white mouse on her palm with thinly disguised interest.

‘Don’t even think about it Ronaldo! What have I told you about eating your cousins. Naughty snake.’

Samuel didn’t think it was possible for a snake to look affronted but Ronaldo seemed to be pulling it off.

‘Sorry about that dear. What were you saying again?’

‘I want to work in the children’s ward.’

Sandra nodded absent-mindedly as she stroked Fernando’s head though she looked a bit disappointed.

‘Are you sure, darling? The experimental development lab is loads of fun. That’s where we make all the new drugs and- Ronaldo!’

Ronaldo had seized the opportunity whiles she had been distracted to strike at the mouse on her hand. Luckily, her reflexes were quicker and she closed her fist before it could land.

‘For the last time stop trying to eat your cousins! You better be feeling sorry for trying to harm poor Fernando. Are you alright my darling?’ she cooed, as she opened her fist to reveal a very panicked Fernando.

His loud squeaking drew the attention of the mice in her top coat pocket, who peeked out to see what all the fuss was about. Ronaldo on the other hand, didn’t seem repentant as it curled itself around her neck once more, its eyes never leaving her hand.

Samuel cleared his throat. ‘Anyway, yes I’m sure. I love kids plus I don’t think it’s healthy to spend all day breathing in those fumes. Look what happened to Dr. Martin, he-.’

‘Pish posh.’ Sandra interjected. ‘Look at me, I spend all day there and I’m perfectly fine. Martin is as sane as I am.’ She turned to rub her nose against the mouse, cooing, ‘Isn’t he, my little Fernando?’

Samuel gave his mother a long look, gazing pointedly at the snake around her neck. ‘Yeah, I don’t think you are making the point you think you are making.’

‘I understand Martin might be a bit eccentric-‘

‘Eccentric? Didn’t he attempt to disembowel himself once?.’

‘Well, yes-

‘And if I recall, he also tried to swim around the world.’

‘Yes, see-‘

‘In his underwear.’

‘Alright, fine,’ Sandra finally admitted. ‘He’s batshit crazy but-‘

‘So, are you,’ Samuel deadpanned.

Sandra rolled her eyes and continued. ‘But all great minds are. It comes with the job. You try spending a few years in medical school and let’s see how you turn out.’

‘No, thanks. So, can I?’

‘Fine, fine,’ she agreed exasperatedly as she got to her feet. ‘Would you be okay getting to the hospital by yourself? I have a few things to do before I leave.’

Samuel nodded and as she walked away six more mice peeked out of her coat to stare at Samuel just before she disappeared around the corner.

He quickly finished his breakfast and an hour later he was walking into the main hospital owned by his family.

He spent the day cleaning up after the children and feeding and bathing the ones who were too weak to do so on their own. He was in the middle of carrying a box of supplies from the basement when his phone vibrated at his hip.

He placed the box down and answered the call, smiling softly when Jayden’s voice came through.

‘Hope you are not missing me too much.’

‘I’m surviving,’ Samuel replied. ‘Why didn’t you call earlier?’

‘Two words, stupid shitty internet. Okay, that was three words, but you get my point.’

Samuel could hear the frustration in his voice and it made him grin into his phone.

‘Anyway, what you up with you?’

‘Work. The kids are really sweet though not as sweet as you.’

‘Call me sweet one more time and I’m hanging up this phone.’

Samuel laughed. ‘Sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help it. I won’t do it again.’

‘Good, because the day that we become one of those couples that spews lovesick stuff to each other is the day I’m breaking up with you.’

‘I thought we were going to grow old and grey together.’ Samuel laughed, a teasing tone in his voice.

‘It’s either I dump you, or I tear out my tongue.’ Jayden paused, and a wicked tinge crept into his voice. ‘I am so terribly good with my tongue though, as you can no doubt attest.’

Samuel laughed again and Jayden smiled a little from his end. He would never have said it out loud but he missed hearing Samuel laugh.

‘Hold on,’ Samuel stopped laughing to say. ‘If the network is shitty how are you calling now?’

‘There’s good network in the town centre but I don’t think I would be able to come here a lot. You won’t believe how difficult it is to get from there to the village. It’s all part of my mother’s rebranding, the more far out and desolate the better.’

‘Sounds tough.’

‘Eh, it’s alright. I’m not that much of a spoilt rich kid, you know. The only problem is that it would be difficult to talk to you. I can only get a chance now because I’ve sneaked away and I’m hiding in the broom cupboard.’

Samuel could hear voices coming from Jayden’s end.

‘Damn it, they’ve found me. I think you might need to invest in a lawyer because every second I spend with my family I inch closer and closer to being arrested for murder.’

‘Bye,’ Samuel said but the line had already gone dead. He stared at the blank screen but before he could put it away, it lit up once more as Jayden sent him a picture.

He smiled at it and replied before placing his phone back into his pocket and carrying on with his work.

As the days crawled by, they both grew so engrossed in their jobs that they barely had time to speak to each other except for the occasional text. Samuel was feeling this keenly and when he tried to make time to speak to Jayden, either the network was terrible or he was so busy he couldn’t even pause to text him.

This state of affairs had him more than a little depressed and though he tried valiantly to mask it with a smile, his co-workers and his family noticed his moodiness. It got so bad that Cissy confronted him about it one day.

‘Alright, why are you going about looking like a drenched cat? Who died?’

Samuel looked up from his phone where Jayden had yet to reply to the text he had sent hours ago. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘You. Your face looks so depressed I don’t know whether to schedule a meeting with a therapist or shoot you to put you out of your misery.’

‘Your tenderness is touching.’ Samuel remarked dryly. ‘And I am not sad. Just have a lot to think about.’

Cissy fixed him with such a penetrating stare that Samuel squirmed a little under her gaze.

‘I don’t believe you for one second,’ she said finally. ‘But if you don’t want to talk to me about it, fine. Just deal with it, you’re making the whole house feel depressing.’

Samuel rolled his eyes but was saved from having to answer when he finally received a text from Jayden.

Jayden: Look I’m a cat.

Samuel couldn’t hold back the laughter that escaped from his throat when he saw the picture.

Samuel: That is the saddest-looking cat I’ve ever seen.

Jayden: ……

Jayden: Better now? I’m Jay the happy puppy.

Cissy was staring at Samuel as his lips quirked upward into a highly amused smile. She took a glance at his phone and rolled her eyes.

‘Great, now I want to shoot myself. God, I hate couples.’

Samuel turned his phone away from Cissy’s gaze and she rolled her eyes again. ‘Fine, fine. I can take a hint. I’ll leave you two love birds alone.’

She got up from his bed and left his room just as he received another text from Jayden.

Jayden: Did it work? Are you feeling better now?

Samuel blinked in surprise.

Samuel: How did you know I needed cheering up?

Jayden: Would you believe me if I said I was a wizard?

Samuel: No

Jayden: Then I’m a wizard.

Samuel: Haha, really funny.

Jayden: Sarcasm is the fool’s wit. Now, why did you need cheering up?

Samuel: It’s nothing really, just bummed out that we’ve been having less time to catch up.

Jayden took a while before replying.

Jayden: I know. I don’t like it as well but look at the bright side, we’ve been apart for almost two weeks which means in about a month I’ll be home again.

Samuel: I guess.

Jayden: Shit, I have to go I’ll try and talk to you later okay?

Samuel: Alright, good luck.

Samuel wanted to type the words ‘I love you’ but his fingers hesitated over the keypad and Jayden had already gone offline.

He sighed and tossed the phone onto the bed, falling back with a sigh.

His conversation with Jayden improved his mood greatly but as the days continued to crawl past the situation hadn’t gotten better. Their conversations were becoming rarer and in between that Samuel was beginning to fear that they were drifting apart.

At the end of the third week, he couldn’t take it anymore. He was sitting in his bedroom when he received a text message from his sister. She had travelled up north briefly at Mimi’s request to help with her fashion show and in the message was a picture of her with Jayden. The message was hours old and appeared to have been delayed due to the “shitty” network.

Cissy: I met up with your boyfriend. We look good together don’t we? You think he went for the wrong sibling?

Jayden’s smile seemed forced as he stared into the camera and Samuel smiled softly. He closed the phone just as Jayden the bunny bounded up to him and placed its front paws on his feet. He picked the white bunny up and stroked its head fondly.

‘You have no idea how much I miss you,’ he said to the rabbit who blinked and wiggled its pink nose at him curiously.

‘Not you, silly but the one who I named you after. I knew it wouldn’t be easy being apart for a while but I had no idea it would be this difficult.’

He stared at the multi-coloured bracelets on his wrist and tears sprang into his eyes.

‘Every time something exciting happens, I turn around to tell you only to remember that you are not there.’

The tears began to fall more freely as he fingered the bracelets. ‘I thought I could handle being away from you but it hurts. It hurts more than anything. Great, now I’m talking to a rabbit.’

He paused to gasp for air as his tears threatened to choke him. Jayden’s little nose wiggled with worry and it reared up on its hind legs as it attempted to lick the tears off his face.

Samuel laughed and hugged the bunny closer to his chest. ‘Thank you,’ he said, rubbing it on its head. ‘You might not be the real Jayden, but I’m grateful to have you here. I love you, you know and I love him too. I wish I had said that to him earlier when I had the chance.’

‘I love you too.’

Samuel whirled around to see Jayden standing in the doorway. He stared, dumb-stricken with surprise as the white bunny wriggled from his arms and bounded excitedly over to its namesake.

Jayden smiled at it and bent down to scoop it up, stroking it softly as he walked up to sit by Samuel. Samuel watched him, not quite believing his eyes.

‘You’re not hallucinating, if that’s what you are thinking,’ Jayden stated, a wry note of amusement present in his voice. ‘I’m really here. I was-‘

His words were cut off when Samuel threw himself into his arms, hugging him tightly as if he was never letting him go again. The bunny wriggled uncomfortably between them before Jayden let it go, allowing it to hop off into the corner.

He placed his arms around Samuel, hugging him back tightly as he stroked his head softly. ‘It’s alright, I’m here now.’

Samuel pulled away and stared into Jayden’s face, still not quite believing he was here with him.

‘How are you here?’ he asked.

Jayden’s eyes crinkled slightly at the corners as his lips quirked up slightly in amusement. ‘You didn’t sound good the last time we spoke and Cissy mentioned that you weren’t handling it well. So, I took the next available train and here I am.’

‘What about your parents’ event?’ Samuel asked worriedly.

Jayden’s lips quirked upwards even more. ‘You know somehow, I think my parents were glad to see me leave.’ He chuckled thoughtfully. ‘I wasn’t exactly contributing to the bright and cheerful atmosphere they were going for.’

Samuel smiled at that before burying himself in Jayden’s arms once more. Jayden reached up to stroke his hair fondly however, Samuel pulled away.

‘Hold on, did you say you love me?’

Jayden froze and turned his head, trying to avoid Samuel’s gaze as blood rushed up to his cheeks.

‘Nah uh, don’t try to run away from it, you said you loved me.’ The smile on Samuel’s face grew as he persisted. ‘Come on, admit it.’

‘Alright fine, I love you,’ Jayden declared, looking defiantly straight at him. ‘So what? It’s not like you weren’t the one who said it first.’

Samuel stared at him wistfully. ‘Sometimes you can be so painfully cute, you know that right?’

Jayden’s indignation flared at the affrontery of being called cute but before he could retaliate, Samuel leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek, and just like that all his indignation evaporated. The knowledge of that, however, made him disconcerted. He did not know how or when but sometime along the way the boy beside him had grown to possess so much power over him.

Samuel, however, was oblivious to his inner spiralling and pulled him down on the bed with a tired yawn. Days of missing his boyfriend had made him so tired but now that he was here with him he could finally get a full night’s sleep.

As Jayden stared at the sleeping boy in his arms, a small smile made its way across his face and he decided that maybe having this one person have power over him was not such a bad thing after all.

Author’s Note: Hehe, I bet none of you were expecting this update huh?🤭 I feel so evil😈. Anyway, so after a long and very much needed hiatus, I decided to get on with it and finish the story. I refuse to take it into 2023 with me. It has been two years since I started and I definitely don’t want to make it three. However, I have to be realistic, we have about 15 or so chapters left and 13 days left till the end of the year so even if I write one chapter a day it will still not be possible. Despite that, you best believe I am going to burn the midnight candle to complete this book by the first to second week of January, so thank you to all who have stuck with me this far.

Anyway back to the story; so what do you think? Personally, Sandra is my favourite character so far. We stan an eccentric queen!

Did you like the pictures? I felt they were cringey and definitely not going to be regular thing but I’ve been away for so long I decided y’all deserve a treat☺️

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